Fountain-pen.



uuml No. 890,747. PATENTBD JUNE 16, 1908. A. F. ZAHM. FOUNTAIN PEN.

APPLICATION FILED OGTA, 1905.

fy@ j' 72 320 ALBERT F. ZAI-IM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Application led October 4:, 1905. Serial No. 281,277.

T olaZ'Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. ZAHM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Fountain-Pens, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to improvements in fountain ens, the main object being the provision of) a pen in which any portion thereof but especially the fountain, barrel or cylinder thereof is made of a transparent or translucent material so that the contents are readily observable from the eXterior at all times, it being especially desirable to observe the quantity of ink within the barrel when the pen is in use or being filled.

I have found by experience that the barrel must be practically lnon-compressible and .made of a transparent or translucent nonvitreous material. In saying the barrel must he practically non-compressible I mean it must be rigid enough not to expel ink by such pressure as ordinarily occurs in writing. In constructing m pen, I make any portion of the pen and t e barrel, or cylinder or fountain thereof of a transparent or translucent material such as celluloid, horn, amber, quill, or hoof; or in fac t any non-vitreous inorganic material (such as mica, quartz, or any porous fabric or solid made air-tight and transparent or translucent by being filled with such substances).

Another object of my invention is' the provision of various constructions of pens provided with transparent ortranslucent portions made of the above materials, having mechanism whereby the barrel is readily filled by producing avent so that the air within the barrel is allowed to esca e as the ink enters the fountain or barre means whereby the air-feed is separate from the ink-feed channel to allow free in ess of air without disturbing the flow of mk; and a transparent or translucentbarrel covered by a protecting open-work or filigreed sheath.

To attain these objects, the invention consists of a fountain pen embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts substantially as disclosed herein.

In' the accompanying drawings z-Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete pen provided with a transparent or translucent barrel, cylinder or fountain and cap. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of pen the barrel being partly in section to show the construction thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar view-of another modified form. Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. v'2 of another modified form. Fig. 5 is a similar view of a forni employing a novel means for connecting pen plug to barrel. Fig. 6 is a view of a partly transparent and translucent and partly opaque barrel.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the tubular cylinder, barrel orl is made of a non-com-A fountain which pressible, transparent or translucent nonvitreous material and is provided with the reduced end 2 for receiving the cap 3 when the pen is in use. This cap may or may not be constructed of the same material. The cylinder or barrel is also provided with the interiorly screw threaded portion 4 for the reception of the threaded cylinder or plug 5 carrying the pen 6, the said plug being made of any suitable material, but lpreferably of the same as the barrel. The cap 3 is adapted when not in use to fit over the pen carrying plug. This form of pen shows the broadest construction of my invention and sets forth the broad combination of a transparent or translucent cylinder, fountain or barrel rovided with the pen carrying plug trap which may or may not be of the same material.

eferrin to Fig. 2 of the drawings the barrel 7 is ma e of a similar material to the barrel 1, being provided with the usual penplug 8 and point 9, the same being secured in a similar manner tothat shown in Fig. 1. The op osite end ofthis barrel or fountain is provi ed with the enlarged threaded mouth 10 which has in its lowered end the tapered valve seat 11, whereby when. the needle valve or plug 12 is inserted the tapered end 13 of said needle valve will seat upon the valve seat within the end and prevent any escape of air through this end of the barrel. This form of valve is provided with the L- shaped channel whose lower end o ens into the chamber 21 in the open end o the barrel thus allowing the proper vent when the valve is unseated.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings a modified construction of valve is shown' and the barrel 22 is made of a slightly different construction, inasmuch as the valve seat therein is dispensed with, it simply being provided with the interiorly screw threaded portion 23 for the reception of the threaded end 24 of the valve casing 25, said casing being provided with an annular shoulder or rim 26 which when the parts are assembled Closely conrel ofapen, for several reasons. It canno't be tracts the end of the barrel or cylinder of the pen. The casing is provided With the central channel 27 which is controlled by the internal or puppet valve 28 which is normally he'ld seated by means of the spring 29. The spring is compressed by means of the button or knob 3() carried by the valve, the same projecting upwardly from the casing thereof so as to be readily accessible to the finger ol' the operator. The interior of the barrel or fountain is in communication with the outside air through the vent 31 in the side ol' the casing, the valve being adapted to control the escape of air from the valve through the said vent.

and to normally hold the same closed so that the ink is held properly within the barrel or cylinder.

As shown in Fig. 4 the barrel 34 is provided with a removable plug 35 which carries the transparent or translucent elastic rubber v sack or bulb 36 by means of which a self filler pen is produced.'

As shown in Fig. 5, I employ a transparent or translucent barrel 37 in the open end of which is fused, forced, cemented or welded the pen plug securing sleeve, a piece 38, which may be made of any desirable material, preferably hard rubber. My reason for providing this is to overcome the difficulty in removing pen plugs when too-green stock isf used in the barrel, for in such instances thebarrels may contract and thereby prevent the easy removal of the pen lug. l

I have discovered that different designs may be formed upon the barrels, as in Fig. 6, in which the entire barrel 44 is made partly transparent or translucent and partly opaque.

I have described and shown several different constructions of my invention, but would have it understood that the broad principle involved is the rovision of a pen with a barrel, cylinder or fountain or any other portion of the pen composed of a non-compressible, transparent, translucent non-vitreous material so constructed as to prevent the absorbing 0r adherence of the ink so that the ink is readily observable therein from the outside.

Should the ink adhere to the inner surface of the fountain or barrel all that is necessary is to Wash the pen using asmall tube ,brush with a long handle which is adapted to entery the barrel and by twisting the brush therein, will brush all of the clogged ink from the walls of the fountain or barrel.

It is a Well known fact that glass is an objectionable material for the fountain or barcut or pressed into shape readily: it is too heavy and it is so brittle as to break when it falls. As these properties render glass practically useless for such purpose, I have sought to make the barrel or any portion of the pen of a non compressible, non-vitreous material which can be readily worked to exact size and which moreover is light, tough and durable. Several kinds of material possess these properties, one of the best revealed by my experiments being celluloid or its equivalent, such as pyralin or for more expensive pens horn or amber may be used.

WhatI claiin as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A fountain pen, any portion of which is made of a non-vitreous, transparent or translucent material and having a non-compressi ble barrel.

2. A fountain pen having a non-compressible fountain or barrel, any portion of which barrel is made of a transparent or translucent non-vitreous material.

8. A fountain pen having a non-compressible fountain or barrel made of a transparent or translucent non-vitreous material.

4. A fountain pen comprising a non-compressible fountain or barrel made of a transparent or translucent, non-vitreous material, a pen carrying plug and a valve for allowing the escae of the air while filling.

5'. A ountain pen having a non-compressible fountain or barrel made of a transparent or translucent cellulose material.

6. A fountain pen comprising a non-com- E pres'slble fountain or barrel made of a transi made vof a non-vitreous transparent or translucent material, and a pen plug-securing means carried by the barrel.

9. A fountain pen made of celluloid, which is partly transparent, or translucent, and partly opaque.

95 lug and a valve for allowing;

` In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' ALBERT F. ZAHM.

Witnesses:

DAVID P. MOORE, FRANK C. HALL. 

